The 2012 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a deliriously gorgeous bouquet, the kind that you want to elope with. It has fantastic delineation, real flintiness coming through, and aromatics that whisk you to where they came from. The palate exerts good weight in the mouth. This is a concentrated Corton-Charlemagne and yet Francois Lequin manages to maintain elegance from start to finish, concluding in sophisticated nuanced fashion. This is his best wine of 2012. Drink 2015-2030. I wanted to taste through Francois Lequin’s 2012 during my round of tastings in November, but he was one of those winegrowers that unfortunately slipped through the net. Fortunately, I was finally able to catch up with him in Burgundy, and, as I anticipated, discovered much to admire. His first vintage was in 1996, working alongside his father Rene (married to Josette Colin), but has been on his own since 2006. He told me that he reduced the amount of chemical treatments in the vineyard since then, to the point where he is now organically certified and is trying biodynamics on a trial basis. His 2012s spent about 12 months in barrel plus a further 3-5 months in stainless steel to allow them to settle, and were bottled just before Christmas with minimal fining and filtration. His portfolio is crowned by a cracking Corton-Charlemagne, one of the best that I tasted in this vintage, while his other crus are all well-worth investigating for their exquisite balance and terroir expression. Although Francois makes three red wines, they are overshadowed by his exemplary white wines, so you know where to head. Importer: Margate Wines & Spirits LLC, Northfield, NJ; tel. (609) 404-3000; fax (609) 404-4610; and through UK agents Bordeaux Index Ltd.; www.bordeauxindex.com